John b



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. MAGKEL'OF LAS VEGAS, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.

. CORK-SOLED SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,284, dated February 13, 1883.

Application filed June 2, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. MAOKEL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Las Vegas, in the county of San Miguel and Territory of New Mexico, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Oork-Soled Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suclf as will enable others skilled in the art t'o which it appertains to make and use the'same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of boots and shoes known as cork-soled, which class is intended for the use of persons having deformed feet and limbs, or where one limb is shorter than the other, and the object of the invention is to produce cork-sold shoe which shall be easy to the foot and have the appearance of an ordinary boot or shoe; and it consists in certain features hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

Figure l is a perspective of the sole and heel portion of a shoe constructed in accordance with my invention, and illustrates the position of the foot therein. Fig. 2 is a perspective of said shoe as it appears in use, and Fig.3 illustrates one of the older forms of shoes.

Like letters refer to like parts in all of the figures.

A heel, a, and sole to of the usual construction are secured to a cork block, A. At (1 in the solid cork is formed a seat forthe ball and toes of the foot. From this point to the heel the seat continues to an elevation substantially I equal in heighttothatof thethickness of the sole in the olderstyles of shoes, whereby, with. the natural outline of the foot in this position lustrated in Fig. 2.

shoe a perfectly natural appearance, and the natural outline of the heel and back of the ankle when provided with the usual outer covering at this part of the shoe also is secured, so that the thicker portion a of the cork comes'under the heel of the wearer for support, and is entirely covered from sight, as illt will also be noticed that even when not thus covered the general outline, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, has less, if any, indications of deformity in the appearance of the foot.

It will be noticed that for the comfort-of the wearer the outlines of the surfaces against which the foot bears in walking are allcnrved, as shown at a a and a", whereby the weight of. the body is supported by the ball of the foot at the seat a the toes being supported at M, and the curved line a supporting the center of the foot, while a forms an easy seat for the heel. It is apparent that instead of one integral piece of cork this insole may be made of layers of cork secured together and shaped as shown.

Having described my invention and the manner of using it, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a shoe, the cork insole A, having seats a agjoined by curved lines in the contour of the upper surface thereof, and provided with a false toe, of, substantially as shown and de scribed. I

2. As an article of manufacture, a boot or shoe having an ordinary heel, sole, and upper, inclosing therein a cork insole constructed with a false toe, a a ball-seat, (1 ,2111 elevated heel-seat, a, and a toe-seat, a substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature in 'the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN B. MAoKEL. 

